A student came to me the other day with the following
question in reference to Genesis 15:13: "Know of a surety
that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs,
and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them 400 years."
The young man is a Russian Jew who has become very interested
in Judaism and is trying very hard to understand things from a
Jewish perspective. Perhaps you would be willing to send me an
opinion on this passage? He was very disturbed by it, commenting
that he could not understand how G-d would willingly allow his
people to be enslaved for 400 years. I would very much appreciate
an answer from one of your rabbis on this. Many thanks.

Dear Professor William Small,

The purpose of this enslavement was for the establishment
of the Jewish nation. Age-old Jewish philosophy states that there
can't be an existence without a previous nihilo, like a plant
that cannot grow before the seed decays.

First of all, the communal suffering caused solidarity
and love between people sharing the same fate.

Second, the enslavement was the catalyst for the
salvation and the great miracles of the Exodus that brought about
the belief in one omnipotent G-d and based the Jewish faith.

Third, the generations of physical work caused a
national hunger for spirituality which enabled them to receive
with vigor the entire Jewish law at the Sinai revelation.

Fourth, dwelling in Egypt, the cradle of ancient
culture, the Jewish nation learned and excelled in the sciences
and the professions of the era, which helped them build up the
Promised Land.

Shalom! Can you please give me some information
on the origins and history of Sephardic Jews? Though I am not
Jewish, I enjoy your posts, and think you have a delightful sense
of humor! Blessings and thanks.

Dear Jo Anne Crowson,

After the Destruction of the First Temple, around
450 BCE, the Jews were exiled to Babylon (modern day Iraq). After
the 70-year exile many returned.

However, the majority of the Jews did not return,
preferring Babylon instead. The Jews in Israel were again exiled
in 70 CE, this time by the Romans. The Roman exile created communities
in Europe and North Africa. The European communities were mainly
in France, Spain and Rome, some in Germany as well. The Jews
in France and Germany became known as Ashkenazim (Hebrew
for "Germans") and the Jews in Spain became known as
Sephardim (Hebrew for "Spaniards"). The Jews
in Spain, which for hundreds of years was under Arab rule, had
connection and communication with the Jews of North Africa and
the Middle East, and hence all the Jews of these lands became
known as Sephardim. Differences in custom developed over
many years; some had their origin in halachic disputes among the
Rabbis of the various communities, and some in outside cultural
influences.

We vote here Tuesday. There is an "assisted
suicide" proposal on Michigan's ballot this year. I know
it's not right, but it's hard to say it's wrong. People really
do suffer so terribly much at the end of certain terrible diseases.
A guy was telling me the other day how much his mother suffered,
although medication provided some relief. Your comments, dear
Rabbi, are welcome; before Tuesday would be nice.

Dear Jonathan,

It is forbidden to commit suicide. G-d told this
to Noach by saying, "Even your own blood, that of your own
lives, will I demand (accountability for)" (Bereishet
9:5). Our unbroken tradition explains that this was a prohibition
against suicide and that it is part of the "Seven Noachide
Laws."

The idea is basically this: A person's life isn't
"his" - rather, it belongs to the One who created it,
G-d. Therefore, only its true Owner may reclaim it. Despite
one's noble intentions, "mercy-killing" is an intervention
into a forbidden domain. This does not mean that one should be
lax about relieving the person's pain. Now, among the laws
that G-d gave Noach was a command to set up courts to enforce
these "Seven Noachide Laws." Therefore, the "assisted-suicide
law" can't be considered merely a "privacy-of-your-own-home"
issue, because society as a whole is responsible to enforce the
Noachide laws. Therefore, the right thing to do is to vote against
assisted suicides. Voting for them, or staying home on Election
Day, would be helping people to transgress.

There are other considerations that are beyond the
scope of this column, such as passive/active intervention, and
the exact definition of death. For these and related topics,
see the list of sources below.

What is the meaning of "baruch" in the
prayers? If it is to bless, then what does it mean when we mere
mortals say "Baruch ata Hashem? - Blessed are You Hashem."
How can we bestow blessings on Him who is the source of all blessings?

Dear Daniel Haruni,

The Rashba, Rabbi Solomon ben Abraham Aderet
(Barcelona, Spain, 1235-1310), was asked this question. He explained
that "baruch" means "He is the Source of
all blessing."

Our group were chatting about angels, their names
and their functions or duties. Where can I find out the names
of angels and what they do? Could you tell me some of their names?
Thank you.

Dear David Levy,

The Hebrew word for angel is malach, which
means messenger, angelos in Greek. According to traditional Jewish
sources, angels are the powers which fulfill the will of G-d.

Our Sages say there are four angels who allegorically
accompany man and protect him. Michael on his right, Gabriel
on his left, Oriel in front of him, and Rafael from behind. The
idea is that there are four "fields" in which one needs
continuous help, and man receives this help via certain channels
by which G-d conducts the occurrences in this world.

Michael, "Mi Cael - who is like the
merciful G-d?" is the representative of the attribute of
mercy. Gabriel - "my strength is G-d"- represents the
attribute of power and judgment; they are therefore on the right
and left respectively. Oriel - "my light is G-d," represents
the attribute of knowledge by which man wishes to know what lies
ahead and how to act accordingly; thus, Oriel "stands before"
a man to show him the way. Rafael - "my healer is G-d"
- is the attribute by which G-d heals any ill which befalls a
man; that is why he "stands behind" man.

In Bereishet 24:28, Rivka is asked if she
is prepared to go with Avraham's servant, and she responds in
the affirmative. Rashi says that she is saying that she will
go even if her mother and brother are opposed. Commentators on
Rashi say that this is derived from the fact that she answers:
"I will go!" instead of a simple "Yes."
Of course, this only makes sense if there is somewhere in Scripture
that we actually do find the usage of "Yes" in response
to a question. The question is, do we find in the Torah a word
meaning "Yes?" (The word "ken" appears
many times in the Torah, as in "ken b'not tzeldovrot"
and "Lo ta'asun ken," but not with its modern
meaning of "Yes.")

Answer:

In Bereishet 30:34 Lavan says to Ya'akov:
"Hen." Rashi explain this as "lashon
kabalat devarim," "Yes" in English. This is
an Aramaic word which we would have expected Lavan's sister, Rivka
to use in answer to the question of whether or not she was prepared
to go.

The Public DomainComments, quibbles, and reactions concerning previous "Ask-the-Rabbi"
features.

My name is Shira Grossman from Jerusalem. In the
Yiddle Riddle for Parshas Teruma, Catriel Blum from Toronto asked:
"What verse in the Torah contains the same root four times
in a row?" In addition to your answer (Bamidbar,
4;47), I found another verse: "Shofech dam ha'adam,
ba'adam damo yishafech - Whoever spills the blood (dam)
of man (adam), by man (adam) his blood (dam)
shall be spilled" (Bereshis 9:6). (This assumes that
the word adam is from the root word 'dam.') Thanks for your riddle.

I find the commentary in your archived "Ask
the Rabbi" material fascinating. Such as the existence of
certain pareve "milk" sources. I hadn't known there
was such a thing as almond milk, although, of course, I am familiar
with coconut milk that I assume has the same status.

Speaking of which, there is the story, true, of
the fabulous kosher dinner served in a Chicago hotel under the
supervision of a famed glatt kosher caterer. The caterer was
congratulated by an attendee after the affair was complete, who
said, "Your dessert was fabulous; how did you do it? It
tasted so much like ice cream!" The caterer responded, "The
dessert was ice cream. But don't worry. The chicken...it wasn't
chicken." Thank you again for your work. Shalom.

I learned something the other day and I am anxious
to share it "with the world." Contrary to illustrations
in innumerable Haggadot, the Jews in Egypt did not participate
in building the pyramids. Pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom
about 2600 B.C.E. the departure from Egypt occurred during the
New Kingdom about 1300 B.C.E. The Torah says the Hebrews built
storehouse cities.

The cartoon "Concerning the Jews" on your
website was the cutest, and truest expression of Judaism I have
ever seen. It was brilliant! The final quotation pretty much
sums it all up: "Sometimes it doesn't matter if you're leading
or being chased. Either way, the one in front chooses the direction."
Congratulations once again, on bringing obscure Jewish concepts
to earth.

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